Never give up when you KNOW something is wrong

I have continually had problems since my gastric bypass surgery in April '04.  The two most horrific issues have been found after multiple trips to the surgeon and ER, one was a surgical clip left inside at some point and was found imbedded in a loop of my small intestine and a large hunk of omentum( the fatty lining of the interior abdomen that keeps it from sticking to the inside of our tissues) hanging from it in the right upper quadrant of my abdomen. This was found after  a negative CT scan x 2 and a screaming fit on the phone with my surgeon's nurse, demanding some attention and threatening to have my family sue his @** off if I died that night. The second issue has been after a trip to the ER, a 2 day hosptial stay, both with negative CT scans and sent home on Reglan and Bentyl for nausea and spasms. I finally drove myself the ER from work Mon the 17th, almost stopping at the local EMS station twice along the way because of the excruciating pain in my right upper and lower abdomen. The ER doc did an occult stool test, first one ever done during all of this, positive for blood. He called my surgeon ( same one as before because no one else will touch you after one has rerouted your digestive system) and I was admitted again. The CT scan Tues morning showed gross free fluid in the abdomen and multiple loops of twisted bowel with something else. I immediately went to surgery and there was a huge orange-sized hernia with a hole inside. My right small intestine had telescoped into the left side and all was strangulated and swollen in side that hole. He had to pull all of my entire small intestin out onto my abdomen and unkink and untie the knots in my small intestine. I had been in excruciating pain for over a week and he blew me off as far as what was going on with this, wanting me to call my rheumatologist for med causes or the urologist I see for interstitial cystitis. I almost DIED. I then came out of surgery with a 6-inch long vertical incision and the attempted lap sites and a paralyzed bowel that took three days to wake up. I ate ice chips from Monday until this past Saturday. I finally had a BM on Sunday night, PRAISE THE LORD, and got to come home yesterday on my youngest son's birthday. It has been such a hard road to travel with this and I am so grateful to God for my life, he kept me here. Please don't give up if you know in your heart that something is wrong, I believe that we all have a voice inside us, or maybe it is Him, that tells you when something isn't right. Be persisitent and mean about it if you have to. It's your life you're dealing with, not some vehicle or just a body. I am now on full liquids and praying that all will be fine from here on out.

MARRY XMAS i'M GLAD YOU POSTED THIS LAST AUG 2006 i HAD THE SAME PAIN AND WENT TO THE ER AND HAD ALL TEST AND THEY COULD NOT FIE THE PROBLEM. i DAD A CT DONE  AND WENT TO A BARIATRIC SURGERON AND SHE SPOTTED THE PROBLEM. SHE WANTED TO THE EXPLORITORY SURGERY AND i DID'NT LET HER.  THE PAIN WENT AWAY TIL LAST MONTHS OFF AND ON NOT LIKE BEFOR.

My god, how horrible for you.  How simply horrible. There is so much to say about this, but it truly upsets me thinking how much you had to suffer because of other people's ignorance to your suffering. I hope you are feeling better now. After being in the hospitial for 5 days on clear liquids only (isn't it funny how they bring you sugared juices and jellos?), I sympathize from the heart.  I had my gallbladder out. I was on clear liquids from Friday to Tuesday, and, yesterday was the first day I pooped too. Happy Christmas to you and I'm glad you are home with your family. I had my surgery 3-months after you, so we are tummy-buds. :-)

I'd highly recommend you removing your origional surgeons name from under your name.   Unforunately OH has a poilcy to inform surgeons when anyone is talking about them in a negative light ...esp surgeons who advertise with OH.  You may not awnt to have this post getting back to him.  In addition, you should find another RNY surgeon....at least for a 2nd opinion. ...another surgeon (general) amy not take you, but another RNY surgoen should take you. I hope you feel better. Scott

Don't you think that just sucks, that they would be watchdogs for the surgeons. I did remove my doc's name, just because of your comments, as I was not aware that there was a policy on negative comments about your surgeon. I will say that I am over the angry stage, and do know that had it been any other surgeon I would either have an ostomy, large portion of my small intestine removed, or even dead. He is a gifted surgeon, it is just so frustrating when you know something is wrong and you get the brush-off. I do believe that my Father above guided my surgeon's hands to save me and keep me here for there must be more for me to do here.

Yeah ...it does suck...but  on the DS forum we had a surgeon who sent a patient away after she said (not even in a negative way) that she was going to get a 2nd opinion because he wanted 5,000 dollars up front, even though he was in net work.  Apparently OH notified him of this comment, and the Dr. sent her away and said he would not do the surery on her because she was getting a 2nd opinion.  Scott